Ulysse Collin Blanc de Blancs "Les Roises"
Huge oak, some apple and brazil nut and orange aromas, but the oak is the dominant note. Rich, creamy, small mousse, pleasantly high acidity. The oak and the richness are a bit too much for me.
Ulysse Collin Blanc de Blancs "Les Pierrières"
This was also an oaky style of Champagne but not as badly as the Roises. Here it was more a clove/spice aroma rather than vanilla - but this still seemed more like a Meursault with bubbles than Champagne. So it's good stuff if such a concentrated, rich, oaky wine is your thing.
Ulysse Collin Blanc de Noirs "Les Maillons"
Very Pinot aromas but again lots of oak. Strawberries and cream.
I must confess that these UCs weren't really the style of Champagne I enjoy. If you like vinous, rich bubblies that are more like white Burgundies that happen to have bubbles, then go for it.
Beaucastel CdP Blanc Cuvee Roussanne VV 1994
This was nicely aged, very aromatic with fantastic truffle and old Champagne aromas. Rich and smooth - more like olive oil than wine in texture. Fascinating in such a portion but so low in acidity that I wonder if I would enjoy it this much with dinner and a bigger portion of wine?
Beaucastel CdP Blanc 2002
Oxidative and spicy nose, burnt sugar aromas; again a rich, olive oil -like texture. Decent but seemed a bit awkward beside the 1994.
Jamet Cote Rotie Cote Brune 1992
What an incredibly beautiful wine. Mature but vibrant, no hurry. It smells of meat, peach and peppers; it is rich but dry with still proper structure. Drink and hold.
M. Chapoutier Cote Rotie La Mordoree 1992
Compared to the Jamet this is simple, jammy and lacks nuance. Without the Jamet to compare it to I'd probably have thought this was fantastic. It's sour and has some fun cherry aromas that made it seem almost like a proper Kriek without the bubbles.
Terribly outclassed by the Jamet but a nice mature Syrah anyway.Beaucastel CdP Rouge 1964
Brownish colour, deadish nose with plenty of volatility. Amazingly the palate was perfectly enjoyable: sweet and sunny fruit is still noticeable, not oxidative unlike the nose. This is really weird. How can the nose be dead and the palate so vibrant?
Beaucastel CdP Rouge 1990
Very ripe and peachy aromas. No brett. Not even the tiniest hint of it. And that was a disappointment because these sunny, ripe Southern wines really tend to benefit from a subtle stink that makes me take a furtive glance at my soles to see if I've stepped in something.
Pierre Usseglio CdP Cuvee de Mon Aieul 2003
Oxidized and dead.
Pierre Usseglio CdP Reserve des Deux Freres 2003
Chocolate aromas; unpleasantly high alcohol, strangely smooth and lacking in structure. Not my thing.